Ink sticks with visually discernible feature patterns

Abstract

A solid ink stick having an ink stick body formed of a phase change ink material. The ink stick body is configured for inclusion in a first set of ink sticks and has substantially a same size and shape as other ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks and ink sticks in a second set of ink sticks. The first set of ink sticks is of a different series than the second set of ink sticks. An identification pattern is formed on the ink stick body. The identification pattern is one identification pattern in a set of identification patterns. The identification pattern formed on the pattern area of the ink stick body is visually discernible from the other identification patterns in the set.

1. A solid ink stick comprising:
 an ink stick body formed of a phase change ink material, the ink stick body being configured for inclusion in a first set of ink sticks and having substantially a same size and shape as other ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks and the same size and shape as ink sticks in a second set of ink sticks, the first set of ink sticks being configured for insertion into a first model of printer that excludes the ink sticks of the second set of ink sticks and the second set of ink sticks being configured for insertion into a second model of printer that excludes the ink sticks of the first set of ink sticks; and 
 an identification pattern formed on the ink stick body, the identification pattern being one identification pattern in a set of identification patterns, the identification pattern formed on the ink stick body being visually discernible from the other identification patterns in the set of identification patterns and configured with both protrusions and depressions in a surface of the ink stick body to differentiate the ink stick from the other ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks and to differentiate the ink stick from the ink sticks in the second set of ink sticks. 
 
     
     
       2. The ink stick of  claim 1 , the identification pattern formed on the ink stick body being assigned to correspond to an ink stick identifier pertaining to the ink stick body. 
     
     
       3. The ink stick of  claim 2 , the ink stick identifier being assigned to indicate at least one of a color of ink, printer model, part number, and stock keeping unit (SKU) for the ink stick body. 
     
     
       4. The ink stick of  claim 1 , the ink stick body including one or more pattern areas, the identification pattern being formed in the one or more pattern areas, the one or more pattern areas on the ink stick body being in substantially the same position as pattern areas on the other ink sticks of the first set of ink sticks and as pattern areas on the ink sticks of the second set of ink sticks. 
     
     
       5. The ink stick of  claim 1 , the identification pattern formed on the ink stick body further comprising:
 at least one pattern element, the at least one pattern element having at least one characteristic that is visually discernible from pattern elements of the other identification patterns in the set of identification patterns. 
 
     
     
       6. The ink stick of  claim 1 , the at least one characteristic being selected from a size, shape, and position of at least one pattern element within the identification pattern. 
     
     
       7. A plurality of ink sticks comprising:
 a first set of ink sticks configured for use in a first printer model; 
 a second set of ink sticks configured for use in a second printer model; 
 each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks being substantially a same size and shape, each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks including at least one pattern area, the pattern area being in a same position on each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks; and 
 each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks having an identification pattern formed in the at least one pattern area of the ink stick, each identification pattern comprising a variation of a pattern in a set of identification patterns that enables each identification pattern in the set of identification patterns to be visually discernible from the other identification patterns in the set of identification patterns, each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks having an identification pattern in the set of identification patterns that enable each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks to be differentiated from the other ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks and to be differentiated from the ink sticks in the second set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks having an identification pattern in the set of identification patterns that enable each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks to be differentiated from the other ink sticks in the second set of ink sticks and to be differentiated from the ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks, the identification pattern for each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and the second set of ink sticks being formed in the pattern area of each ink stick with both protrusions and depressions. 
 
     
     
       8. The plurality of ink sticks of  claim 7 , each identification pattern in the plurality being assigned to represent an ink stick identifier. 
     
     
       9. The plurality of ink sticks of  claim 8 , each ink stick identifier being assigned to indicate at least one of a color of ink, printer model, part number, and stock keeping unit (SKU) of the ink stick upon which it is formed. 
     
     
       10. The plurality of ink sticks of  claim 7  , each identification pattern in the set having at least one pattern element having at least one characteristic that is visually discernible from the pattern elements of the other identification patterns in the set of identification patterns. 
     
     
       11. The plurality of ink sticks of  claim 10 , the at least one characteristic being at least one of size, shape, and position of the at least one pattern element within the pattern. 
     
     
       12. A system for identifying ink sticks comprising:
 a first set of ink sticks configured for use in a first printer model; 
 a second set of ink sticks configured for use in a second printer model; 
 each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks being substantially a same size and shape, each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks having an identification pattern formed thereon, each identification pattern formed on an ink stick comprising both protrusions and depressions in a surface of the ink stick body to form a variation of a pattern in a set of identification patterns that enables each identification pattern in the set of identification patterns to be visually discernible from the other identification patterns in the set of identification patterns, each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks having an identification pattern in the set of identification patterns that enable each ink stick in the first set of ink sticks to be differentiated from the other ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks and to be differentiated from the ink sticks in the second set of ink sticks and each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks having an identification pattern in the set of identification patterns that enable each ink stick in the second set of ink sticks to be differentiated from the other ink sticks in the second set of ink sticks and to be differentiated from the ink sticks in the first set of ink sticks; and 
 a set of matching representations, each matching representation corresponding to one of the identification patterns formed on the ink sticks of the first and second sets of ink sticks, each matching representation including information associated with the identification pattern corresponding to the matching representation. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , the information associated with each identification pattern comprising at least one of a color of ink, printer model, part number, and stock keeping unit (SKU). 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , the matching representation of each identification pattern being incorporated into at least one of a sheet of media, a label and a display panel.